Gastonia 12-year-olds score prized leather during Panthers game

Matthew Trotter, left, and Carter Smith hold an NFL football they got during the Panthers' first preseason game with the Buffalo Bills, thrown by QB Joe Webb. They stopped by the studio Tuesday morning, Aug. 19, 2014. (Photo by Mike Hensdill/The Gaston Gazette)

By Michael Barrett

Published: Wednesday, August 20, 2014 at 04:23 PM.

A basic football adds a decent amount of happiness to the life of an average American fan.

But there’s something about an authentic version with the rich smell of leather and the subtle nicks and scrapes from having been used in a real NFL scrum. Even a preseason one.

Twelve-year-old Gastonia buddies Matthew Trotter and Carter Smith got a taste of that this month. During an exhibition tilt between the Carolina Panthers and Buffalo Bills at Bank of America Stadium, the boys wound up with a memorable souvenir thanks to a wayward throw.

Jason and Shannon Smith often attend Panthers games, and for the first preseason contest Aug. 8, they allowed their son to bring along a friend. The foursome sat in the front row, beside the home team’s drum line.

In the fourth quarter, Jason and Carter headed up to the concourse to take a break. That’s when fourth-string Carolina quarterback Joe Webb, avoiding a sack, hurled a pass into the stands.

Shannon Smith said she and Matthew didn’t see the missile bearing down on them because they were partially distracted by the stadium’s gigantic new replay screens.

“It started coming at me and I looked and it just hit my arm,” said Matthew, the son of Brian and Melissa Trotter. “It hit the ground and bounced.”

A basic football adds a decent amount of happiness to the life of an average American fan.

But there’s something about an authentic version with the rich smell of leather and the subtle nicks and scrapes from having been used in a real NFL scrum. Even a preseason one.

Twelve-year-old Gastonia buddies Matthew Trotter and Carter Smith got a taste of that this month. During an exhibition tilt between the Carolina Panthers and Buffalo Bills at Bank of America Stadium, the boys wound up with a memorable souvenir thanks to a wayward throw.

Jason and Shannon Smith often attend Panthers games, and for the first preseason contest Aug. 8, they allowed their son to bring along a friend. The foursome sat in the front row, beside the home team’s drum line.

In the fourth quarter, Jason and Carter headed up to the concourse to take a break. That’s when fourth-string Carolina quarterback Joe Webb, avoiding a sack, hurled a pass into the stands.

Shannon Smith said she and Matthew didn’t see the missile bearing down on them because they were partially distracted by the stadium’s gigantic new replay screens.

“It started coming at me and I looked and it just hit my arm,” said Matthew, the son of Brian and Melissa Trotter. “It hit the ground and bounced.”

He scooped it up and tossed it down reluctantly to an official. But a nearby fan urged the referee “to let the kid keep the ball,” which he did by pitching it back up.

Carter saw the pigskin flying toward their section as he walked downstairs to their seats. He and Matthew were ecstatic about their good fortune.

“I just couldn’t believe it was an actual NFL football,” Carter said.

The Smiths hope to use some connections to get Webb and other team members to sign the ball, increasing its value. Then they plan to put it to a good cause, donating it to the Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte.

In the meantime, it’s an experience the boys say they won’t forget. Some experts have predicted the Panthers will come back down to earth after their unexpected success in 2013. Others have been inspired to believe otherwise.

“I think they’re going to do pretty good,” Matthew said.

You can reach Michael Barrett at 704-869-1826 or on Twitter @GazetteMike.